The present disclosure generally relates to a secondary solid waste container for solid waste of an analyzer, to an analyzer and to a method for removing solid waste of an analyzer.
Modern analyzers are based on automated sample processing systems. Such systems permit greatly increased sample processing throughput, decrease the need for manual labor and allow for productive use of an operator's “walk-away time” during sample processing.
Such analyzers use a plurality of consumables during operation such as pipetting tips and reaction vessels. The consumables may be discarded into one or more solid waste containers once they have been used.
It is advantageous if the analyzers are continuously operated by preventing interruption of the operation when replacing a filled solid waste container. One way of solving this problem is to use two solid waste containers in order to divert waste of consumables from one solid waste container to the other solid waste container when one is filled, thereby allowing the filled solid waste container to be replaced without interruption of operation. With this arrangement, however, more space for accommodating two solid waste containers of the same size is needed, which is rarely available unless increasing the footprint and size of the analyzer.
Therefore, there is a need for a secondary solid waste container that has a reduced height and smaller capacity for receiving solid waste than a primary solid waste container.